Change or Die, Together
by snapple79
Summary: Andy and Sam know they've both made a lot of mistakes. Can they work through them together if given the chance? AU post-S3 where Andy doesn't go undercover.
1. Chapter 1

Andy and Sam can grow and change together, without being thrown into triangles and other love interests like the mess that was S4. This story explores that. Marlo and Nick don't exist in this fic, as it should be. ;) It starts at the end of 3x13 and will eventually on some things we saw in S4. This first chapter sets up a lot about what each of them is feeling – I promise there will be more action coming up.

Enjoy! And let me know what you think with a review. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

* * *

**Change or Die, Together**** - ****Chapter 1 **

Andy watched Sam walk away from her, as her mind tried to process everything he said. He wanted to cook her dinner and take out her trash. He wanted a dog named Boo Radley with her. He wanted a future with her. She turned around and headed to the detective's office; she needed to talk to Traci. Not finding her anywhere, Andy decided to walk home, wanting the the time alone to clear her head.

She didn't know what to make of Sam. They struggled to find their normal when she got back from suspension. She knew they were both holding back, both having trouble figuring out how they journeyed through this relationship together. But they were moving forward until he dropped the bomb of breaking up with her.

Then, he was pushing her away, refusing to talk to her and work through their problems. Then, six weeks later he was telling her he loved her while she was holding a grenade. Only to laugh it off when they got back to the station. Sam Swarek did not make any sense to her. She wondered if he ever would.

How could she ever trust him to not walk away again when things got tough? He broke her heart once and she didn't know if she could go through that again. Didn't know how she'd survive if he walked away again. She loved him so much - she never stopped - but that only meant he could cause more damage to her heart than anyone else.

She opened the door to her condo and thought about how he'd asked her to meet him for a drink. She couldn't right now. She was too confused. She needed some time alone to think. Time and space, two things she normally hated, were all she wanted right now.

She laid down on the couch and pulled out her phone. She stared at is as she tried to figure out what to text Sam to let him know she wasn't coming. Nothing seemed right or appropriate, so she kept staring at a blank screen. That is, until the long exhausting day got the best of her and she fell asleep.

At The Penny, Sam sat at the bar staring down at the two shots he ordered. He wasn't really sure why he ordered the shots of vodka versus their normal beers, but figured it had to do with him needing some liquid courage to help get the words out to express what he wanted to say to Andy.

He glanced at his watch. An hour had passed since he first sat down. He thought about calling her, but pushed away the idea. He'd given her an invitation. She could take it or not.

When the door of the bar opened again, Sam looked up to see Gail Peck walk in. Slouching further into the bar, his optimism was dissipating.

Gail didn't see any of her friends, so she sat down on the stool next to Sam. "What, are you drinking alone?"

Sam glanced around the bar. "Uh, looks that way."

"You seen Chris or Dov?" she asked looking around bar for her friends.

"Uh, no," he replied, following her gaze around the room.

"Guess I'm drinking alone tonight," she mused.

Sam picked up one of shot glasses and let the liquid burn his throat in one swallow. He slid the second glass toward Gail. "Night, Peck." He gave her a nod and walked out to his truck.

He sat in the parking lot for a bit, staring aimlessly at his steering wheel as he remembered Andy sitting is this seat telling him she loved him. He thought about how he stupidly hadn't been able to get the same words out until she was holding a bomb. He really did wish she was in his head, so she would've known for sure that he'd loved her long before he'd said the words. He didn't know if things would be different now if he'd said it back then, but nonetheless he wished it was easier for those words to leave his lips.

* * *

The next morning, Andy headed to her mandatory appointment with the department therapist. Frank had set it up before she'd even changed out of her uniform, telling her it was required after a near death experience like holding bomb.

She was lying on the couch rambling on about anything and everything except the reason she was sent to the therapist in the first place, when the therapist stopped her. "I need to stop you for a moment," she said.

Andy shifted her eyes over to the woman sitting in the large chair at the other end of the couch. "I thought that was the point of this, for me to talk."

"I want you to talk _with _me, not at me. Trust me enough to let me guide you through this," the woman said. When Andy simply nodded, she continued. "Do you have difficulty with other people guiding you?"

Andy shrugged, not really having thought about it before. "I mean, I guess I've always been the one to lead. I'm an only child."

"When we start doing everything for ourselves, it becomes more difficult for us to, over time, ask for help," the therapist told her. "Tell me about what you're feeling when you're not the one leading."

She thought about the first time after her mom left that she let someone get close enough to be the one to lead. "Well, I guess I start to feel a bit anxious. I get knots in my stomach. I start to get extremely hot. I immediately start to think about the worst case scenario so that no matter what happens I'm going to be prepared," Andy said, looking up at the ceiling.

She suddenly realized she had felt all those things at one time or another during her relationship with Sam. She hadn't wanted to push him because she was afraid he'd run if she did. Without realizing it, she'd felt safe enough with him to let him lead. But look where that got her. "I guess I always lead because I feel more comfortable that way. And the first time in a long time I let somebody lead. And I got left...again. So, where does that leave me now?" Andy asked, looking over at the therapist.

"Well, why don't we try to figure that out," she said. "Have there been times when _you _have been leading and still got hurt?"

Andy thought about all the times she'd tried to get her dad help from his drinking, and how it backfired or just didn't work. She thought about her relationship with Luke and how, despite being in control, he still found a way to hurt her. She finally nodded in response to the therapist's question, as she closed her eyes. "Yes, I get hurt no matter what I do."

"So, maybe simply letting someone else lead isn't a shoo-in for getting hurt." The statement was more of a question that left Andy pondering silently. "Maybe it just hurts more because you care enough to get comfortable with the person you let lead."

"It's hard to feel like someone else controls my happiness," she admitted.

"Only _you_ can control your happiness."

Andy shook her head, thinking of Sam. "Not when they have control of your heart," she whispered.

It was another 10 minutes before the therapist was able to circle back around to Andy holding the bomb. And when she did, Andy started talking about Sam and why he chose that moment to talk to her again, as she was holding a grenade.

"You're telling me a lot about Sam, but I want to hear about you, what you were feeling in that moment," the therapist said.

"I was scared holding the bomb," Andy admitted, looking over at the woman, who sat there taking notes. "I mean, getting into a life or death situation like that is part of the job, but..."

"That wasn't what scared you most?"

She shook her head. "_He_ scares me. What he said scared me."

It was becoming more and more clear to the therapist that the young officer was dealing very well with holding a grenade, but there were other things she needed more help working through. "Tell me more about that."

"I love him. I mean, of course I want to be with him," Andy said. "But then I have to keep reminding myself that if we were really meant to be together then we would've worked out our problems, right? I mean why do I want to be with somebody who's so unstable anyway?"

"Have you ever felt unstable?"

"Yeah, of course, I mean when my mom left, and when a guy I was dating cheated on me. Lots of - " She stopped rattling off the times she felt less than stable when it all clicked in her mind. Everyone had moments of instability. Everyone had moments where their world was turned upside down.

"Lots of?" the therapist prompted.

"We all go through lots of moments of instability in our life, don't we?" Andy asked, as she sat up.

"It's true. Events in our lives can often be a trigger."

Andy thought about Sam, how he'd lost his best friend and how big of a trigger that would be.

"Do you believe that everyone has a person? That one person who knows you better than anyone else? That one person who you'll never be able to get out of your system?" she asked, looking over at the therapist.

"What do you think?" the therapist replied, with her own question.

"I think that _your person_ is worth fighting for."

The therapist could see Andy making progress in working through what she was having trouble with and her lips curved into a tiny smile. "Sometimes it takes time to work through problems. Time can be your friend."

She gave the therapist a lopsided grin. If only she knew how much Andy hated time and space. But willingly or unwillingly, Andy had been forced to give that to Sam. She'd tried to tell herself for weeks that moving on was what was best, but talking with the therapist made Andy realize that's not what she wanted. For Sam, she was willing to risk her heart by trying to make it work again. Because in the end, if they could work things out, she knew he'd make her heart full. She had always trusted him with her life and now it was time to trust him again with her heart.

She just hoped it wasn't too late.

* * *

While Andy was with the therapist, Sam was being called to Frank's office after Parade.

"Have a seat, Sam," Frank said, when his friend entered his office.

He obeyed, taking a seat across from his boss. "What's this about?"

"You know the detectives have been short-staffed, right? And that, as a rookie, detective Nash is working more cases than she should?"

Sam nodded, unsure where this conversation was going. "Sure. I expected Callaghan to stick around, maybe take up the slack."

"No, he's got his taskforce and a number of other investigations to keep him occupied. I want you to fill the position, Sam...Jerry's position," Frank said.

Sam swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. "I've never...I don't know, Frank. I mean - "

"You're practically a detective now with the way you work cases. It won't be a big change. You'll just be exchanging the uniform for - "

"Don't even say a suit. That's not me."

Frank leaned across his desk, a serious look on his face. "Look, Sam. I need another detective and I'd like to keep it in the 15 family. You've got the skills. And you've said yourself that being stuck in a uniform isn't you. Here's your chance," he said persuasively.

Sam absentmindedly tugged on his vest. Everything Frank said rang true. He always knew being a patrol officer wasn't his life. He thrived on the complicated cases, rather than just running speed traps. He loved being in charge, the thrill of deep investigations. Undercover work had always broken up the monotony of patrolling, but he couldn't do that forever, and more importantly, he wasn't sure he wanted to. Becoming a detective might be the compromise between patrolling and undercover that he needed.

"When would I start?" Sam asked, not fully accepting the offer yet.

"Immediately. You'd still need to take the exam when it comes up again in a few months, but I need you now. The brass won't make the title official, or give you the pay increase, until the exam, but it'll just be a formality," he said.

"Wow, I mean..." Things seemed to be changing rapidly for Sam lately and he didn't know what to make of it. "It's, uh, it's a big change."

"Sammy, look, I know a lot has happened in the last few months. I don't want you to make this decision lightly, but I gotta tell you there's no one better for the job," Frank said, understanding all the changes going on in his friend's life could be scary. "I'll make you a deal. If you hate it, absolutely can't stand it, we'll move you back to where you are now, no questions asked."

Sam thought about everything his friend was saying. There had been some big changes in his life - Jerry dying, breaking up with Andy, then realizing he couldn't live without her and professing his love to a woman for the first time in his life - but maybe those changes were pushing him towards evolving and bettering himself. Maybe he needed to make some changes before everything could feel right again.

He looked out of Frank's office across the bullpen to the detectives' office where Traci sat across from Jerry's empty desk. He could hear Jerry telling him to take this chance, to not let it slip through his fingers. And Sam couldn't help but wonder if this seemingly simple move from officer to detective might help him become the person he needed to be, the person he _wanted_ to be, to win Andy back.

He turned back to Frank. "I'll do it. I'll take the job."

Frank smiled at his friend. "I'll start the paperwork to make it official. Why don't you see what Nash needs help with."

As Sam left Frank's office and made his way through the station, he couldn't help but wonder what Andy would think of his decision.


	2. Chapter 2

Wow, the response to this story already has been amazing. Thank you all for the reviews, and follows and favorites! Hope you all continue to enjoy it. :) And let me know what you think with a review.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Andy's first day back at work she didn't see Sam's name on the patrol board, and with the way he was dressed and talking to Traci, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out he'd become a detective. She wondered when it had happened and how long he'd been planning to make the move. Not knowing it was happening made her feel like they had dropped out of each other's lives when he broke up with her.

She tried not to dwell on it as she listened to Frank during Parade, but she was conflicted. She was happy for him and knew he'd be a great detective. However, it meant they wouldn't be working together as much. And even though she didn't know where _they_ stood right now, Sam had always been the best partner she ever had.

When Parade was over, she waited as others left and timed her walk to the door with when Sam started to head out.

"Detective...I didn't know," she said.

"I wasn't...It's new. Frank asked me a couple days ago, I, uh, haven't seen you to tell you," he replied. He resisted the urge to blame her for why they hadn't seen each other; resisted the urge to demand she tell him why she hadn't shown up at The Penny for drinks. His love for her stopped the fear from pushing all those thoughts out.

"Well, congratulations," she said.

"Thanks."

"You'll have a great partner. Traci's really...great," she said, jealous that he'd no longer be _her_ partner. She wanted to ask him if they could talk for a minute, wanted to explain why she hadn't shown up the other night, but the more she over thought it, the more she remained silent.

Sam opened and closed his mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out. He opened it again, trying to tell her no one would match his last partner, but again he couldn't get the words out.

"McNally!" Oliver called out, walking up to his two friends. "Let's go. It's your turn to buy lunch today."

She threw a small smile Sam's way as she walked past him to follow Oliver.

"See ya later, McNally," Sam muttered, not even sure anyone heard him.

It was only a few hours later that Andy and Oliver were back at the station after bringing in a suspect in a bank robbery that Andy had walked in on. Traci was investigating the man, while Sam, Andy and Oliver looked on from the observation room.

"It wasn't him," Andy said suddenly.

"I beg your pardon," Sam said, eyes wide as he turned his head to face her.

"I don't think he's the one that pulled the trigger. The guy with the mask was different," she explained.

"What do you mean, what's different?" Sam asked.

"I don't know, maybe it was his voice. It's just, the other guy seemed extremely confident," she said. Andy could tell Sam wasn't convinced by the look on his face. "Look, _I_ was there, you weren't. I saw how the guy acted. This guy..." she said, pointing into the interrogation room. "...isn't our guy."

"McNally, he had the money and the gun, is covered with the exploded dye pack. Until you find something that tops this mountain of evidence, he's our guy," Sam replied.

"Fine." For the first time in a long time, she felt like Sam didn't have her back. So, she turned to Oliver. "I'd like to check out the area where we found him again, _partner_."

Oliver's eyes bounced between the ex-lovers, not wanting to get into the middle of whatever was going on here. But he decided they both could use some space, so he waved his hand toward the door. "Let's go, McNally. But don't think this gets you out of buying me lunch."

She snorted as she walked around Sam without another glance. "We'll pick it up on the way."

Sam huffed out a breath as he crossed his arms. She could be so frustrating sometimes. The evidence was clear cut. It was just a matter of getting this guy to break before he lawyered up.

It didn't take long for Andy to find the clue they needed. Poking her head out of the dumpster she'd jumped into after finding a handprint that matched the color of the orange dye-pack, Andy grinned at Oliver as she showed him the phone she'd found. A phone with orange fingerprints on it.

They put the pieces together quickly and were soon bringing in the guy who shot the bank manager. He hadn't confessed yet, but as Andy watched Sam and Traci interrogate him, she knew he was guilty and the first guy was only in charge of the getaway car. More importantly, the look on Sam's face told her he thought the same thing.

Not needing to see anymore, Andy walked out of the observation room and went to her desk to finish up some paperwork.

* * *

Hours later, Sam walked out of the interrogation room and right into Andy who was heading to the locker room. "You were right," he said after they stopped awkwardly apologizing for bumping into each other.

"I was trusting my gut, like I was taught," she said, still irritated he hadn't believed her.

"Sorry for not listening to you. But we had all this evidence stacked up and - "

"It's okay," she said, shaking her head as she interrupted him. "I get it. You can't trust my judgment after..." She didn't need to finish the sentence for them both to know she was talking about the day Jerry died.

"That's not it. It was about me that day. I didn't trust _my_ gut. Today, it was just hard to go against all the evidence," he explained, hating that she thought he blamed her.

"Well, I should go. See you tomorrow, Sam," she said before starting to walk away.

"Andy," he called out after her. He took a step toward as she stopped and turned around.

"Uh...have a good night." He was a coward. All these things he wanted to tell her were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't make the words come out. Most of all he wanted to tell her he missed his partner, in more ways than one. Instead, he watched her walk away as he stood there like an idiot.

When he finally forced himself to move, he turned around and saw Oliver standing a few feet away in the doorway of the break room watching him. The look on his face told Sam he wasn't going to want to hear what his friend had to say. He tried to walk by him, but Oliver only stepped up beside him on the way to the detectives' office.

"What's going on with you and McNally?" Oliver asked.

"What? Nothing."

"That little encounter..." Oliver said, waving his hand behind them. "...was not nothing. And earlier, pretty sure she would've loved to throw _you_ in the dumpster where we found the phone. What gives?"

"Don't start, Oliver. I'm not in the mood."

"You've been moping for six months, ever since you broke up with her." Oliver ignored Sam's glare and kept talking. "Apologize, talk to her. Give it another go. You both still have feelings for each other."

Sam shook his head as they stopped outside his office. "She made her decision. I pleaded with her for another chance. She gave me her answer by not showing up that night," he said. He couldn't help but be pissed that she'd chosen not to meet him for drinks. As much as he loved her and wanted her in his life, her happiness meant more to him. And if that didn't include him, he was going to have to live with it.

"Don't be an idiot," Oliver said, shaking his head. "You _know_ what she went through that day. You really think she was up for _that_ talk that night? _You_ want a second chance, so give _her_ one." With that, Oliver, turned around to head to the locker room, leaving his friend standing there.

Oliver's words hit Sam like a ton of bricks. He was right. Sam only focused on what _he _was feeling that night. The feeling of missing her so much and wanting her back in his life were so strong that he'd forgotten what triggered his feelings in the first place – Andy holding a bomb. He'd been so focused on his feelings, what he wanted, what he needed, that he forgot to consider what she'd been going through that night. She'd almost died. And he was pressuring her about them.

He shook his head at himself as he sat down to finish the paperwork on the arrest and confession. The arrest he wouldn't have if it weren't for Andy. He needed to figure out how to make this all up to her, everything.

* * *

It was nearly an hour before Sam made it to The Penny. Not seeing Oliver, he sat down on an empty stool at the bar and watched Andy having fun with her friends across the room. They appeared to be cheering on an Andy-Chris darts rematch. He ordered a drink and couldn't help but think about how he'd been here nights earlier waiting for her. As much as he knew what Oliver had said was true, it was hard to get past the fact she didn't even give him an explanation as to why she didn't show up.

After beating Chris at their game, Andy decided to get another drink. She saw that one of the few free spots at the bar was next to Sam. She took a deep breath and walked over. She knew she hurt him by not showing up the night he invited her for drinks. What made it worse was she'd fallen asleep before she could tell him she wouldn't be there, and now she didn't know how to move forward without making it awkward.

He was staring into the amber liquid swishing around his glass when he felt her standing next to him. He looked up to see her waving down Liam and ordering a beer.

When Liam returned with her beer, Sam spoke. "Put it on my tab." As the words came out, it felt like a peace offering.

Andy looked over at him while his eyes were glued to his drink. "Sam, you don't..."

"I told you I'd buy you a drink, so I am." The memory of his words – drinks, dinner, taking out her trash, getting a dog – still clear in both their minds.

"I thought that offer may have expired," she replied meekly.

Sam took a swig of his scotch, letting it burn his throat as he thought about how to respond. "Did you want it too?" he asked when he finally looked over at her.

Andy shook her head. "No. I just...I needed time to think." She was still scared despite the epiphany she had with the therapist. There was so much she wanted to say to Sam right now, but hear fear was stopping her.

"Ok then, I told you I'd buy you a drink. And, I'm not breaking another promise...ever."

"You don't know that. You can't know you'll never do it again," she said softly.

"I'm going to do my damnedest not to. I don't want to ever hurt you again, and breaking a promise will do that. So, if you give me another chance, I'll do everything in my power not to," he said, knowing it was now or never for him to be honest and tell Andy what he was thinking.

"Sam..." She sighed as she sat on the empty stool she'd been standing next to.

"I meant what I said the other night. I'll do everything."

"You can't do everything. I can't do everything. That's not how a relationship works," she said.

They sat there silently, each sipping on their respective drinks as they tried to figure out what the next step was.

Andy knew Sam was trying, that he was actually telling her what was going on inside his head. And while, here, in the middle of The Penny wasn't where she pictured this happening, she knew she had to be honest with him. "Sam...You broke my heart."

"I'm sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought..." He scrubbed a hand over his face. "I don't know what I thought. I couldn't wrap my head around what I was feeling."

"All I wanted was to be there for you. But you pushed me away," she said.

"I did what I thought was right. I was confused. I was hurting." He turned his body until his knee hit her leg and her eyes met his. "I didn't know how to deal with it."

She rested a hand on his knee. "I know. In her own way, Traci was going through the same thing. And all I wanted was to make it better...for both of you. But, I couldn't do that for you."

"I want us to have another shot, to fix my mistakes – "

"Our mistakes," she interrupted, correcting him.

His lips curved up as he nodded. "Our mistakes."

"It's gotta be different this time. We gotta work on this together, work through things together," she said. "And I don't want to feel like we're hiding, that we're only a couple behind closed doors."

"I was never hiding us, Andy. I thought you wanted to keep things private after the suspensions," he said.

"I wanted to be careful at work, but even here...it was different than I thought we'd be," she said quietly, afraid to sound needy.

"I need you to help me, to know this stuff doesn't come easy for me. The psychic wasn't wrong. It's new to me to love someone...and I need a push sometimes in the right direction," he admitted.

"I can do that," she said, her lips curving into a small smile. "And I need you to _tell_ me when you need space. I can't read your mind, but if you need time alone I want to give you that. I don't do time and space well, so you gotta help me know when you need it."

He nodded in agreement before taking another sip of his drink. "I need you to let me in." He held his hand up when she opened her mouth to protest. "I know you opened up more than I did, but still, you shut down about certain things...like your mom. I want to be there for you, for everything, so let me in, okay?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry about that. Closing you out when Claire came back. I...I pushed you away because I didn't want anyone to tell me what I already knew...that she'll eventually hurt me again."

"I only did what - "

"No," she interrupted him. "You don't need to explain. I know why you reacted the way you did. You were trying to protect me. I'm sorry I wouldn't listen."

"I shouldn't have gone about it the way I did though. I didn't make it easy to listen," he told her.

Silence engulfed the bubble they'd put themselves in the moment they began talking. The music and laughter filling the bar didn't reach their ears. Andy finally found the courage to ask what they were both thinking. "So, what do we do now?"

At the sound of her voice, he raised his eyes to meet hers. He licked his lips and knew the next move was his. "I want to take you out to dinner."

She let out a small chuckle as she looked at her watch and back at Sam. "A little late for that."

"Not tonight, McNally," he said, smirking. "How about tomorrow? Or the night after that? Or this weekend?" He knew he was sounding a little desperate rattling off all these days, but he didn't want to give her an option of saying no. After the conversation they'd had, he was pretty sure she wouldn't, but he didn't want the option even on the table.

She smiled at him, at how nervous he suddenly looked. "How about all of the above?" She gave him a knowing look, telling him she meant it. She didn't want just one night with him, she wanted them all.

Sam bit down on the inside of his cheek to tamp down his grin. "Tomorrow night it is."

Glancing around the bar, he noticed her friends had already called it a night. "Can I give you a ride home?"

Her eyes lit up at the question and she nodded. It had been such a long time since they'd done something so easy, so casual. She grabbed her jacket and met Sam at the door, and she felt the familiar touch of his hand on her lower back as they headed out to his truck.

He insisted on walking her up to her condo, images of Andy and Gail getting attacked the last time he simply dropped her off were running through his head. She didn't protest, seeing the look on his face and immediately knowing what he was thinking.

She stepped over the threshold into her condo and turned around to look at him. "Wanna come in?"

He shook his head. "I should get home. But, tomorrow night?"

She smiled and nodded. "I'll be ready after shift."

Their eyes lingered on each other until Sam took a step to close the distance between them. He leaned down, watching Andy's eyes close as his face neared hers. He enjoyed the familiar taste of her cherry lip gloss when their lips met. It was like coming home. The feel of her lips against his made his whole body relax. He framed her face with his hands as he deepened the kiss.

The moment his lips touched hers, warmth filled her body from head to toe. She had missed this so much. She felt safe, loved, liked no one else in the world mattered when he kissed her slow and steady like this. She slid her arms around his waist, holding him against her.

It was a door slamming somewhere in the building several minutes later that broke them out of the moment they'd gotten lost in. Sam nudged his nose against hers as she smiled back at him. He wanted nothing more than to never leave her side, but he didn't want to rush into bed like they'd done the first time. They were going to do things differently this time. "I gotta go," he whispered.

"You gotta go," she replied, fingers playing with the hem of his shirt. She pressed her lips to his before he said anything else. She knew he had to go home, but she wanted to savor this moment, their second first kiss. Andy only pulled back when the need for air became too great.

They stared into each other's eyes for another minute before both dropped their arms to their sides.

"I'll see you tomorrow, McNally," Sam said, backing out into the hallway.

"Goodnight, Sam." Andy slowly closed the door, watching him watch her. He didn't leave until he heard the lock click.


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, first, to the couple of guest reviewers who enjoy bashing Andy. STOP. Just stop. I won't tolerate bashing of Andy or Sam in my reviews.

To everyone else, thank again for reading and favoriting and following and reviewing! Every time I get a review in my inbox, it's like unwrapping a Christmas gift. :) So, please, continue letting me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

It was nearly two weeks, and three dates, later when Andy and Sam spent the night together for the first time since they'd gotten back together. Images of making love for hours danced through Andy's conscious as she slowly woke up the next morning. How they'd started making out on the couch, ignoring the movie they rented. How Sam had so gently carried her to the bedroom. How tender and loving he'd been. How they'd spent all night adoring each and every inch of each other's bodies. How their bodies moved in sync with one another, like two pieces of a puzzle. Andy couldn't help the smile forming on her face as she woke up to those memories.

Eyes still closed, she rolled over, expecting Sam to stop her movement as she collided with his body, but instead she got an empty bed. The sheets were still warm, so she knew he hadn't been gone long. She rolled onto her back and opened her eyes, seeing Sam immediately as he stood at the foot of the bed pulling his shirt from the night before over his head. The smile fell from her face and she sighed, thinking nothing had changed.

"You're leaving?" she asked. The sound of her voice startled him since he thought she was still asleep.

He turned around, shaking his head. "Just grabbing my bag from the truck so I can change before we head into work."

A small smile returned to her face and she felt embarrassed she'd thought the worst. "Okay."

He sat on the edge of the bed next to her and took her hand in his. "Hey, what's wrong?" He'd seen a look he couldn't quite place come over her face.

"It's nothing," she replied, trying to force a bigger smile.

With the smile not reaching her eyes, he knew she wasn't telling him the truth. "Andy, I can see it on your face. Something's wrong. Tell me. Don't shut me out."

"You...You always used to leave in the morning. I thought, well, I thought maybe nothing had changed," she admitted as she cast her eyes down toward their links hands.

His free hand rubbed across his face as he thought back to the nights he'd slept over before. It was true, most mornings he was rushing out. Some days he really did have an excuse - plans with Jerry or Oliver - but there were times he just got scared. Scared that lazy mornings and showering at her place would spark talks of moving in. Scared of the commitment that came along with all the feelings he had. Scared that he'd find a way to screw their relationship up. He didn't realize how much it had hurt her to run out so quickly and so often.

"I'm not leaving. And if I ever have to, I'll let you know the night before. I won't...Things _have_ changed. I won't run out," he said.

Her body relaxed, relief surging through her, and an idea popped into her head. "Maybe...Maybe you could, uh, leave a shirt or two here, just in case. Like, if you didn't have your bag, it would make it easier for you. If you want," she said, sheepishly.

Sam felt like the space around his heart was constricting and he was finding it hard to breath. He took a couple slow breaths, not wanting his anxiety to get the best of him. She was taking a small step forward and he was trying to convince himself there was no reason to freak out. "I..." His throat suddenly felt completely dry.

"Or not...I mean, it's fine. Just a thought."

"No. I mean, yes." He pushed out a breath. "That...I think that's a great idea."

The megawatt smile that graced her face had Sam forgetting about why he'd almost let his anxiety win over. He leaned down to cover her mouth with his own, breathing her in as he kissed her. When he sat back up, his heart felt like it was returning to normal, that it wasn't being squeezed by a vise anymore. "I'll be right back."

While Sam went to grab his bag, Andy got out of bed and threw on a shirt, one of his that she'd never given back after the breakup. She padded out to the kitchen and started on breakfast, pulling eggs and bacon out of the fridge after starting the coffee.

After locking up his truck, Sam turned around and smiled at what he saw. He walked over to the sidewalk, digging several quarters out of his pocket to stick in the machine before he pulled out today's newspaper.

Closing the door to Andy's condo, he tossed his bag on the floor before heading into the kitchen, dropping the newspaper on the kitchen island next to where she'd put down a couple plates. She turned her head to face him and smiled. "Should be just another few minutes," she said.

Sam nodded toward the newspaper. "Thought we could look through the paper while we had a relaxing breakfast," he told her.

He was pretty sure her grin couldn't get any wider at his suggestion. She turned back to the eggs she was cooking, but then quickly looked at him again. The look in his eyes told her he remembered when she'd had a similar suggestion that he'd turned down to run off and do whatever he did in the mornings. As she finished cooking the eggs, her cheeks started to hurt from smiling. She really couldn't be happier this morning.

"Don't steal the comics on me," she quipped as he started sifting through the paper. Knowing what she'd go for first, he'd already had his hand on that section and pulled it out, placing it next to her plate.

* * *

Several weeks later, Sam was rushing out of Andy's unexpectedly, but she understood this time around. They'd been woken up by a call from Frank with an urgent request - or demand - from their superiors. Apparently, the wife of a white shirt had been robbed at an ATM the night before and they wanted the guy caught. The fact this particular incident matched a series of recent ATM hold-ups only added fuel to the fire.

By the time Andy got to the station, Sam and Traci had been fully briefed and were ready to lead Parade. Andy sat with the rest of her friends and listened intently as Sam described the hold-ups, the profile of the robber, showed surveillance video, and passed around a drawing of a tattoo one of the victims claimed the robber had on his forearm.

"Given the profile and location of the hold-ups, a list - a long list - of suspects has been generated. With not much else to go on, we've decided to assign each pair of partners about a dozen names," Sam explained. "Talk to each of these men, check their alibi, if they have one. Eliminate as many as we can. Anyone that seems suspicious should be brought in for questioning."

Traci handed out the lists of names as Sam continued. "Now, we have a lot of people to work through, so don't go off on your own investigating anyone else. Stick to the people on your list only."

Andy reviewed the list she and Chris were given as Parade came to an end. It was a good list of suspects, but her gut was telling her someone else fit the profile. She and Oliver had been paired a week earlier and stopped a guy for speeding. Something about him that day had felt off, but with no reason to suspect anything, they'd issued the guy a ticket and let him go.

However, as she looked at the grainy image of the surveillance video, something in her gut said their speeder was this robber. It wasn't much to go on though, her gut and a vague resemblance. But she couldn't ignore the feeling she had.

She stood up and walked over to Sam, who was collecting some papers off the table. "McNally," he said, seeing her out of the corner of his eye.

"Sam…" She was hesitant, not sure how to ask for permission to do exactly what he instructed everyone not to do. He quirked his eyebrows, waiting for her to speak. "There was this guy - "

He let out a sigh. "I _just_ told everyone to stick to the lists. Let's get through these dozens of people before we start expanding it, okay?"

"Just listen, okay? Before you shoot it down." When he finally nodded, she continued. "Oliver and I stopped a guy for speeding last week a block from where one of the hold-ups took place. He matches the description _and_ I got this weird vibe off of him, like he was hiding something from us," she explained.

"You really think it might be him?" he asked and quickly got a nod of her head in response.

"Look, let me check out this one guy. You don't even have to pull anyone else from working the lists; I'll do it alone. If he comes up clean, no questions, I'll finish out the list you gave us. I'll work double the amount to make up for it if you want. I just...there's something about the ATM robber and this guy," she said, pleading her case.

Sam pinched the bridge of his nose as he thought about her reasoning. She'd met this guy in person versus the lists he developed based on a profile search on the computer. "Okay, but you're not going alone. You and Diaz will work him just like anyone else on your list."

Andy grinned at him. "Thank you."

"Keep me updated," he told her as she walked away. He'd taught her to trust her gut, which meant sometimes he was going to have to trust it as well.

* * *

Andy tried to tamp down her grin as she and Chris brought Nicky Radar into booking. Sam was standing there waiting, arms crossed and leaning against the door frame. She'd called him as soon as they were on the way back to the station to let him know they'd made an arrest.

Chris started on the paperwork as Andy glanced over at Sam as she began emptying the guy's pockets. He couldn't help the proud look displayed in his eyes.

"Officer McNally, it looks like you've caught us our ATM bandit," he said, amusement in his voice. "When you're done here, put him in Interrogation One and come find me."

"Sure thing, detective," she replied, smiling at him before he walked out of the booking area.

"I'm innocent, I'm telling you," Nicky protested.

Andy grabbed his arm as he started shifting around. "You have no alibi, you have hundreds of dollars of cash on you that you can't explain, and this tattoo on your arm matches exactly what we're looking for. So, shut up and start thinking about the confession you're going to give Detective Swarek."

She shared a look with Chris as Nicky continued mumbling under his breath.

"Alright, Andy, we're all set. You want to take him back?" Chris asked a few minutes later.

She nodded. "Yeah, and I'll let the detectives know he's ready for them." She brought Nicky down the hall, sitting him down in a chair in an interrogation room so she could get Sam.

She closed the door to the room and headed to the detective's office. "Hey, Sam," she said, waiting until he looked up from the file he was reading to continue. "Nicky Radar's in Interrogation One."

"Thanks," he said, standing up. "McNally...good work today. Your instinct was right."

They walked together down the hall to the room that held their suspect. "Well, I _was _taught by the best." She bumped her hip against his as she smiled over at him.

"Can't argue with that," he replied, smirking back at her as he rested a hand on the handle of the door to the interrogation room.

Andy rolled her eyes thinking he'd never have an ego problem. "Thank you for trusting me to check out a lead that wasn't on the list," she said, turning serious. "I hope you know I wasn't trying to take advantage of what we…uh, of us. I just had a really strong feeling about this guy."

"I know. Andy...this is all a learning curve for us, figuring this all out," he said. "I'm glad you came to me. We might still be chasing our tails on the dozens of suspects that_ were_ on the list, if it weren't for you."

She smiled as she watched him walk into the interrogation room, and then quickly entered the observation room. She watched Sam question the guy for ten minutes before Chris joined her. "He giving Swarek anything?" he asked as he looked through window.

"Sam's starting to break him now," she replied.

As if on cue, the suspect spilled a full confession moments later. Andy watched the whole thing with a small smile on her face. She'd trusted her gut, and maybe more importantly, Sam trusted her gut again. It felt good. Not only were they working their issues out, but they were finding a balance between their personal and professional relationships that worked for them.

* * *

A couple weeks later, Sam and Andy both groaned when the alarm went off waking them up. The chill in the air had goosebumps spreading over Andy's bare shoulders and she snuggled closer to Sam's warm body. "It's too early," she mumbled into his chest.

"You wanted to make sure we got to work on time," he replied.

"That's cause we've been late almost every day this week."

"That's because _you_ keep us up so late," he teased.

She raised her head, quirking her eyebrows. "Pretty sure we share that blame. And _you _didn't seem to mind last night," she smirked.

He rolled them over so he was pinning her to the mattress. "Didn't say I did." He leaned down to press his lips to hers. "In fact, I think…" He nipped along her jaw. "...we need to reenact it."

Warmth seared through Andy and she framed his face so she could bring his mouth back to hers. They quickly realized waking up early and getting out of bed early weren't nearly the same thing.

Hours later, the wheels of Sam's truck had barely come to a stop when Andy was flying out the door. "I'll see you in Parade," she said frantically as she climbed out of the truck. Sam only chuckled as the door closed and she went running toward the station.

Not needing to change like Andy, Sam was able to take his time dropping stuff off at his locker, before grabbing his gun and badge - and two coffees - and heading into Parade. Andy slid in just as Frank began speaking and plopped herself on the table next to where Sam was perched. He handed over the second coffee he held and she smiled warmly at him.

When Parade was over, Andy rested her hand on Sam's arm. "Thanks for the coffee."

"Knew you wouldn't have time to grab any," he said as they stood up.

"And whose fault is that?" she teased.

His hand at the small of her back, he leaned down so his mouth was against her ear as they walked out of the room. "Who begged me to do that thing _just one more time_?"

She turned three shades of red as she shoved at his shoulder. "Sam!"

"Be safe out there," he said, dimples smiling back at her as he backed away toward the detectives' office.

She turned around and walked right into her partner for the day, Chloe. "Everything okay?" the rookie asked.

"Yup, sure, yeah, everything's good. Yup. Let's get out there, Price."

Chloe wasn't sure what had her partner so flustered, but followed her out to their cruiser without another word.

It was hours later when Dov and Chris called Andy and Chloe, asking them to question an art gallery owner. A seemingly simple request, they'd quickly arrested a guy who had fallen asleep weighing drugs and were about to leave the gallery to continue the investigation when Frank ordered them to stay put.

"The drugs are laced with anthrax. Hazmat will arrive shortly," he instructed them over the radio.

"So, what do we do now?" Chloe asked.

Andy shrugged. "We wait here until we're told what to do." She sat down on the floor, crossing her ankles as she leaned back against a wall.

"This ever happen to you before?" the rookie asked.

Andy was about to say no, but remembered the quarantine a year before. "Not like this, but the station was quarantined when a guy that was arrested showed symptoms of a deadly disease. We were all fine though." A smile crept over her face as she recalled her and Sam working a case despite the lockdown. And then how he'd lifted her spirits later with their sparring match; it had been exactly what she needed.

* * *

The moment Frank told Sam that Andy and Chloe had gotten hit with the anthrax-laced heroin, he had to hear her voice. Frank had already warned him not to go down to the gallery, so he picked up his phone and hit speed dial 3.

"Hey, Sam," Andy answered, seeing his name pop up.

"Hey, McNally, you doing okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, you know..."

"Just another day at the office," he joked.

He always knew how to make her smile, and was successful in his efforts. "You know me, always looking for some excitement." He could picture the smile on her face even without seeing her.

"Experts are on their way. Think I can distract you with some police work while you wait?" he asked.

"Yeah, please, what do you need us to do?"

"We gotta track this thing up the supply line. So, anything you can tell me about the drug might be helpful," he said.

Andy and Chloe told him what they could, which wasn't much since there wasn't a lot for them to look at.

Sam wanted to sweep in and rescue Andy, but he knew there was nothing he could do there. So, until he could get to her, he'd figure out who was responsible. He worked every connection he had to get more information on tracking down the source. Because it was either do that or go crazy with worry.

An hour after Andy talked with Sam, the hazmat team was ready to start the decontamination process. They were instructed to remove all of their clothing and put on a hospital gown-like garment.

"So, you and Dov, huh?" Andy asked, trying to make conversation as she began to unbutton her shirt.

"I don't know. One day he's hot, the next cold. I never know what Dov I'm going to get," Chloe replied.

"Give him a chance. He had a rough year. I can tell he likes you though," Andy said.

"You can?" the rookie asked, surprise evident in her voice.

Andy chuckled as she wrapped the thin cloth gown around her. "The way he gets all nervous around you. The way he looks at you. It's clear to me." Both women sat down on the benches facing each other now that they were changed. "Just take it easy on him, okay?"

"I think he thinks we're too different," Chloe admitted sadly. "Sometimes I do too." She was bewildered when Andy smiled at her.

"Sam and I are different. But that's what makes us good together. We bring out the best in each other," she said.

"You guys are great together," Chloe told her.

"We've been through a lot to get where we are now. It's not always easy, but if you care about Dov, I say go for it. Make it work," Andy suggested.

Chloe gave her a small smile as they heard the door open and a guy from the hazmat team appeared before them, ready to give them more instructions.

Sam stood outside the yellow decontamination tent, looking down at his watch every two minutes. After figuring out where the tainted heroin originated, he left Traci to document the suspect's confession and finally convinced Frank he was calm enough to go pick up Andy and Chloe. So, now, instead of pacing _inside_ the station, he shifted from foot to foot anxiously as two men in hazmat suits looked on curiously. "You know, we can get them back to the station, detective. You don't need to be here," one of them finally said.

He snapped his head in their direction, glaring at the men. "I'm waiting."

Finally, the edge of the plastic tent was pulled back and relief washed over him at finally seeing her with his own two eyes. Wearing mismatched sweatpants and a t-shirt, both two sizes too big, and her hair, still slightly damp, cascading messily over her shoulders, she was still beautiful. His feet started moving before she even lifted her head and saw him. He wrapped his arms around her, as hers found their way around his body.

"Hey," he said, his voice muffled in her hair.

"You didn't need to come all the way here," she said, while Sam still hugged her tightly.

"McNally...Couldn't trust you to get back to the station alone without getting into more trouble," he teased, pulling back and loosening the grip his arms had on her.

She pressed her lips together, giving him a lopsided grin and trying to suppress the emotions of the day. "I'm okay, Sam. I'm okay," she said.

He kissed her forehead before they each took a small step away from each other. She immediately missed the warmth of his body. "You cold?" he asked, taking in how thin the t-shirt was she'd been given. Before she could respond, Sam had already taken off his leather jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

She slid her arms through and smiled. "Thanks."

Chloe had been hovering a few feet back from the couple, smiling at how adorable they were. When it seemed appropriate, she finally took a step closer. "Sir," she said, nodding her head in greeting.

"Price. Let's get you two back to the barn," he said. Turning toward the car, Sam slid his hand down Andy's arm until he could lace their fingers together, gripping her hand hard as he reminded himself she was okay.

As he opened the passenger door for her, she gave his hand a squeeze and looked deep into his brown eyes. "Thank you for being here for me," she said.

"Always."

Chloe slid into the backseat smiling as she watched the couple. Things between her and Dov were so complicated right now, but she hoped someday they could be just like Sam and Andy. The love in their eyes was something she'd never seen before.

When they got back to the station, Andy and Chloe hurried to fill out some paperwork about their day while Sam tracked down Traci to see how the confession went.

Once Andy was finished with her paperwork and changed into her own jeans and sweater, she went to find Sam. Not in his office, she plopped herself down in his chair and waited. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

Sam smiled when he walked up to his desk and found Andy. He quietly placed the file he was carrying on his desk before leaning down and letting his lips touch hers lightly. Her eyes flew open as she mumbled a "hi" against his lips.

"Ready to go home?" he asked, straightening up.

She nodded, taking the hand he offered to help pull her up. "All I did was sit around waiting for half the day, but I'm exhausted."

With a hand on the small of her back, he led her out of the office. "You went through a lot today, Andy. And I'm sure the meds they shot you up with are a shock to your body."

"Yeah. That reminds me, I need to stop by the pharmacy on the way home to pick up the meds I'm supposed to take over the next couple weeks," she said. Her face was stoic as she said the words, but Sam had heard the anxiousness in her voice.

With his arm wrapped around her waist as they reached his truck, he tugged her against him. He pressed his lips to her temple. "You're gonna be okay, you know that right?"

She sighed. She'd read the pamphlet the hazmat guy had given her and she understood that the shots and medicine she was getting would prevent her from becoming sick, but it still freaked her out that she had anthrax all over her. "I know. Logically, I know that. But…"

"But, you're still freaked out," he finished for her.

"Yeah."

"Okay, well, we're gonna stop at the pharmacy, then that Chinese take-out place you love, and then we're going back to my place and you can freak out all you want," he told her with a smile.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her smiling lips to his. "As long as you're there with me."

_Always_, he thought. _Always._


	4. Chapter 4

It's hard for me to pick any one chapter of my stories and say it's my favorite, but this one…well, it's my favorite. I hope you all enjoy it even half as much as I did writing it. Let me know what you think with a review! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

A week later, Andy and Sam collapsed into bed after a long, tiring day. She rolled onto her side the moment she hit the bed, facing Sam as he got comfortable. "I'm gonna get up and head to the gym in the morning before shift," he said, switching off the light next to the bed. "You wanna join me or get a little extra sleep?"

She didn't even want to think about working out, but she'd skipped her run the last couple of days, so she was overdue on doing something. She waited for him to roll on his side and face her. "I'll join you, unless you want some alone time."

"Nope, wouldn't have asked you if I did," he said, closing his eyes.

"Okay." She laced her fingers through his as his hand laid on the bed between them.

They fell asleep almost instantly, and despite how exhausted they were, both managed to get up early enough to hit the station's gym before their shift.

They both spent time on the treadmill and did some weight training before Andy suggested they do a little sparring. Twenty minutes later they were breathing heavy from the workout, matching up against each other nicely.

"I like this," she said as she started to take her gloves off.

"What, punching me?" he smirked.

"No," she said, playfully slapping him on the arm. "This. We didn't do much of this before. I...I like it." She shrugged her shoulders sheepishly.

Boxing gloves still on, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "Me too." He leaned down until their lips met for a languid kiss. Her hands traveled up his back to his shoulders.

Andy felt herself melting into him and knew she had to stop before they let it go any further. She pulled back smiling at him. "We gotta get ready for Parade."

He shook and head and tightened his arms around her.

"Saaaam," she whined, but kept smiling.

He knew there was nothing more she wanted than to stay here with him, but she was right. They had to shower and get to Parade. "Fine," he said, feigning annoyance as he released her. She grabbed her water bottle and took a swig as he took his gloves off.

He reached out to grab the bottle but she snapped her arm back just in time. "You want this?" she asked playfully and he nodded quickly. "There's a fee," she said, puckering her lips.

As he leaned in and wasn't paying attention to the water bottle, she raised it above his head and emptied it. She jumped back to avoid the drips as she laughed hysterically at the sight. Tongue in his cheek, Sam watched the water continue to drip from his hair down his face and shirt. "You didn't…"

"Thought you needed a cold shower, _detective_." She smirked at him as she backed out of the room before he could retaliate. "See you in Parade."

* * *

Andy was walking around the station at the end of her shift when she saw Traci alone in her office and decided to see if her friend knew where Sam was. They'd both been busy on different cases and she hadn't seen him since Parade.

"Hey Trace," she said, walking into the office.

"Hey."

"Busy day?" Andy asked, as Traci rummaged through a box of files.

"Kind of. Sam and I have been working a cold case, something he first investigated as a rookie," Traci said, turning toward her friend.

"Really? Wow. Is he around? Haven't seen him all day," Andy replied.

"He's tracking a lead, left in kind of a hurry. He should be back soon though," Traci said. "You know, I got to meet his TO today? He's a detective over at 25."

"I don't even know his TO's name," Andy said sadly, a reminder how little she knew about her boyfriend.

"Charlie...Charlie Fitzgerald. It's clear Sam's always had a lot of respect for him," Traci shared with her friend.

Andy leaned back against Sam's desk as she looked over at her friend. "You guys need any help on the case?"

"Honestly, I'm not really sure where we stand right now." Traci proceeded to tell Andy the basics of the case. Teenager Robby Robins went missing 10 years ago and it was determined he ran away to Texas. After his remains were found in the woods this morning, it was clear he was hit by a car, tossed in the ravine and drowned. "Something caught Sam's eye in a letter from the Dallas PD and he rushed out of here," she finished.

"Wow, crazy something from 10 years ago can pop back up like this," she said, pushing away from the desk. "Well, I'm gonna go change. I'll stop back before I leave in case Sam gets back."

Andy took her time changing, hoping to be able to catch Sam before she left. If he had to stay late to finish up the case he was working, she wanted to see if he wanted her to pick up dinner and bring it back for him. And, well, she just wanted to see him before she went home.

When she walked out of the locker room, she saw Sam, an older man she assumed was his former TO and Traci talking near the entrance to his office. She didn't want to intrude, so she headed to the break room and got herself a coffee.

Sipping on her coffee, she poked her head out the door and caught Sam's eye as he was finishing up his conversation. She watched Sam watch Traci and his TO walk down the hall and into an interrogation room. It wasn't until the door closed that Sam started moving his feet toward Andy.

"Hey," he said before briefly pressing his lips to hers. "Can we sit for a minute?"

Andy nodded, realizing something was wrong, and led him to the couch in the break room. She set her coffee down and angled her body to face him, as Sam sighed heavily and leaned back into the faux leather cushions.

"Tough day?" she asked.

He closed his eyes and rubbed his palms up and down his thighs. "I don't want to wake up one day and realize nobody knows me," he said softly.

Andy laid a hand on one of his, stopping its nervous movement. She waited until Sam tilted his head toward her and opened his eyes. "I want to know you. I want you to know me," she said.

"If you don't know me, I don't know who does," he said, a bit more flippantly than he intended.

"Sometimes yes, sometimes no," she replied, honestly. She wanted him to be serious again and not just laugh off whatever was eating at him.

He flipped his hand around to wrap around hers. He needed to touch her, to remind himself why he was pushing himself to do something he wasn't comfortable doing. "The house I grew up in...I had no control over what went on. So, who I open up to, what I tell people, _that_ I have control over."

"Okay." She wasn't really sure where this was going, but encouraged him to continue.

He took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling before bringing his eyes back to Andy's. "I like tool sheds."

"Why?"

"Well, when I was six, my dad locked me in the tool shed overnight because I broke his hockey stick." Sam looked down at their joined hands when he saw Andy's eyes glisten. "And when I was around 10, he made me sleep in there for a week cause I didn't mow the lawn. I forgot." Andy rubbed her thumb over Sam's knuckles as he continued to tell his story.

"And by the time I was 16, I was screwing up just so I wouldn't have to sleep under the same roof as that guy. That was around the same time I met Charlie, and…" He pressed his lips closed and swallowed, blinking his eyes rapidly to keep back the emotion he felt. "...and saw that a man could be kind and fair and good."

"So, you knew Charlie before becoming a cop?" she asked quietly.

He nodded as he looked at her again. "I've known him since I was a teenager. He caught me selling stolen car parts," Sam explained. "For some reason, he saw something in me. He made me a deal. He'd sweep the charges under the rug if I went back to school."

"You were selling stolen car parts?" She couldn't hide her surprise. This just wasn't something she'd ever thought would be part of Sam's past.

"I know I told you how I wanted to be a cop after Sarah's attack. And that was true. But, I lost my way. Charlie...he put me back on that path, so I became a cop for Sarah _and _him."

"And you've always had each other's backs."

"Yeah. Today...For him, I was about to do something that would eat away at me for a long time. But he…"

"He was like a father to you, Sam. And you do anything for family," she said, knowing he was struggling morally with some decision. She didn't need to know the specifics to support him.

"I think I'm making up for the person I wasn't before. I wasn't there to protect Sarah from her attack."

"Sam, you were nine years old. You couldn't do anything."

He shook his head, disagreeing with her. "Time and time again I'm not able to be the person I need to be for the people I care about most. I couldn't protect Sarah. I screwed up with you."

"Stop, Sam. I don't know the details about Sarah's attack, but I'm sure you did whatever you could as her _nine-year-old_ little brother. And as for us, we've been through this. We both screwed up. You can't take all the blame."

"But that's just it. The other thing I have control over? Blaming myself. Because when I blame myself that means I take responsibility, which means next time I get to fix the situation."

It was then that Andy truly realized how his childhood had scared him. Without even knowing the details, she knew that whatever abuse came down from his father was something he still carried with him. "Sam, it's good that you want to fix your own mistakes, but don't put blame upon yourself wrongly. You aren't to blame to everything that goes wrong."

"Andy...he…" He wanted to tell her more about his father, but emotionally he wasn't sure if he could handle it. Reliving it all, opening up even more right now.

She saw the hesitation in his eyes and didn't want him to feel pressured. "C'mere," she said, wrapping her arms around him. Pulling him in for a hug, she felt the sigh of relief escape his body. His one arm wrapped around her body while his other hand cupped the back of her head holding her close.

"Thank you," he whispered in her ear. He was thankful for her listening, thankful for her understanding, thankful for the fact she wasn't pressuring him to say more right now. The words had come out fast and easier than he thought, but he'd hit a wall.

"So, how was your day?" he asked, when they pulled apart.

"Oliver will be teasing Chris and me for the next month, but other than that, it was pretty boring for Friday the 13th," she said.

"Wait, the mannequin Oliver was rolling around was about you guys?" he asked chuckling.

"Ha," she deadpanned. "Yes. In a dark warehouse from 30 feet away, it looked real. I can't believe Oliver brought it back here."

"Evidence of course," he smirked.

She shook her head, but couldn't the smile that formed. "Ready to go home?" she asked.

"I think I'm gonna stay. I need to see what happens to Charlie." He pulled his keys out of his pocket and dangled them in front of Andy. "But, take the truck. I'll catch a ride with someone later."

She ignored the keys and took his other hand in hers, lacing their fingers together. "I'll stay. Unless you want some space."

His hand tightened its grip around hers and she took that as his answer, knowing it was still hard for him to admit when he needed her. He slid his keys back in his pocket as they stood up.

They walked into the observation room to watch Traci taking Charlie's statement about what happened the night he hit the teenager. Andy held tight onto Sam's hand letting him know she was there for him, for whatever he needed.

* * *

Back at Andy's condo later, she and Sam were sitting on her couch watching TV, but she couldn't relax. She shut the TV off and turned to face Sam.

"I know we're working on being open - more open - with each other," Andy said, hesitating as she gauged his reaction. "But you were right today. I _do_ know you." Sam opened his mouth, but she held her hand up. She needed to get this out. "I don't know everything about you, but that's part of a relationship. We learn about each other. We just have to be willing. And we are."

Sam took her hand in his and nodded. "I meant it when I said if you don't know me I don't know who does. I want you to know me. All of me."

Andy felt tears in her eyes, but blinked them away. "I need to tell you a story." She waited for him to nod in understanding before she continued. "It was just a normal night months ago and we were lying in bed. And my stomach was hurting from laughing because you had been teasing me about something. I don't remember what. I must've fallen asleep or something because all of a sudden I was having this really terrible dream. And I couldn't stop crying. I was crying and you weren't even really awake, and I remember you grabbed me. I remember you were just holding me tight all of a sudden. You said, 'I'm right here and I'm going to hold onto you and never let you go.' Right then, I knew that I would never feel _more loved_ or _more known_. Look, I know it's a really small moment. It's not even a good story…"

"It's a pretty good story," he said, lips curving into a small smile.

"I love you. I love you. You're my story, Sam, _you_."

He wiped a stray tear off her cheek with his thumb. "You're _my_ story, Andy. I keep thinking about the future - kids, park on Sundays, real life, something more. With you." He took a deep breath. "I screwed up. It's my fault." He knew she argued this point earlier, but he truly felt he was to blame. He was the one who had broken up with her and broken her heart. "Andy, I want you to be happy, more than anything in the world. More than anything I could ever want for myself. But selfishly I...I want to be happy too, and that can only happen with you."

The hand resting against her cheek pulled her closer until their lips met.

When they parted Andy's lips curved into a small smile. "We're both going to screw up, but I don't want to keep score about who's at fault. I want us committed to making this work, to living through the ups and downs together."

"I want that too."

Andy snuggled into Sam's side and rested her head in the crook of his neck. She snaked her arm around his body and held him close. He wrapped one arm around her and his other hand stroked down her hair as it lay down her back.

"I love you," he whispered. Andy closed her eyes as her lips curved into a smile.

* * *

Several days later, Andy walked into The Penny after shift and her eyes immediately found Sam sitting with Oliver, Chris and Gail. Walking over to them, she noticed Dov and Chloe alone at the bar, and she knew Traci wouldn't be around since tonight was her first official date with Steve Peck.

Sam saw her walking over and stood up, greeting her with a kiss. She caressed his cheek briefly with her hand as he pulled away. "Take this seat," he said, giving up the tall chair he'd been sitting on. "_Oliver_ here took your chair." They laughed as she sat down and playfully glared at Oliver. Sam stood next to her, arm draped around her shoulders.

"Hey now, I was on my feet canvassing all day with Price. I have a blister on my right heel the size of a pomegranate," Oliver said.

"I didn't need that image in my head Oliver," Sam quipped.

Andy shook her head at them as Sam slid a beer toward her before picking up his own. "Got your usual," he said.

"After today, I feel like this glass should be filled with tequila," she said, taking a sip.

"That bad?" he asked, as if no one else at the table mattered anymore.

She shook her head and looked over at him. "Nothing a couple days off can't cure."

"Sure you're okay?"

She snaked an arm around Sam as she leaned into him. "Yeah, I'll tell you about it later, promise. I just want this right now." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders to hold her close. She loved this, being relaxed with him in front of their friends. It was something they hadn't done the first time around. They'd kept to separate tables at The Penny, barely sharing a chaste kiss if they happened to come in together.

They had a few drinks and chatted with their friends, and enjoyed the night. Oliver was too drunk to drive himself, so they dropped him off at home before heading to Sam's.

"Tonight was fun," she said as they pulled away from Oliver's apartment building. "Simple, but fun."

Later, when they were back at Sam's, Andy was lying on her side on the couch, her head on a pillow in Sam's lap. His fingers stroked gently up and down her arm as the news played softly on the TV in front of them.

"Gail and I responded to a tip today," she said softly. "A husband and wife were selling drugs from their home...with their 4 year-old, 2 year-old and 6 month-old sitting feet away while every deal went down."

"Any cases that deal with children are tough," Sam said, knowing those cases got to the both of them.

"Yeah, especially when the child services liaison that shows up is your own mother," she replied.

His hand stilled before giving her arm a gentle squeeze. "Thought she left town."

"So did I. I haven't heard from Claire in months. The message I left her weeks ago went unanswered." She sighed sadly.

"What explanation did she give?" Sam asked.

"I didn't give her the opportunity. Gail took the kids and dealt with her. I want nothing to do with her. She can't just be in my life when it's convenient; to play caterer to my housewarming, to give bad motherly advice, to make me question things I shouldn't," Andy said bitterly, thinking about all the negative things Claire had said about Sam.

He brushed the hair off her shoulder, trying to get a better look at her face to see how she was really doing with what happened. "You okay with shutting her out completely?"

She shrugged, not sure what she wanted to happen with her mother. "I don't know. All she does is walk away. Not sure I can go through that pain over and over."

He ran his fingers through her hair slowly. "Whatever you want to do, I'll support you."

They were quiet for a while, their attention focused back on the news. "Wanna head to bed?" he asked when he noticed her eyes were closed. She nodded and sat up, and that's when Sam noticed light streaks of tears down one cheek. Giving her a sad look, he cupped her cheek. "Hey, what's wrong?"

The look he gave her unraveled her. "Am I not good enough for her? What's wrong with me?"

Sam's heart broke as he wrapped her up into his arms. "Andy, it's _her_ loss if she doesn't want to be part of your life. _She's _the one that's not good enough for _you_. _She's _the one who doesn't know how to be a mother to an amazing daughter."

"I should've listened to you months ago. I never should have let her back into my life," she said, the words muffled into his shoulder.

"You had to give her a shot. I get it. And now you'll never wonder 'what if.'"

"Yeah, now I know. She's out of my life...and it's _my_ choice, this time," she said confidently.

"You sure you're okay?" he asked, pulling her face back so he could look at her.

"I am...you're here with me." She gave him a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Let's go to bed."


	5. Chapter 5

This is the last chapter of this story. An author's note at the end will explain why I ended it here. I know people will want more, but as I was writing this it seemed a really perfect place to end. Thank you all so much for all the reviews and favorites and follows. I truly wish we could have seen something like this in S4. Because it IS possible for Sam and Andy to grow TOGETHER and not apart. Please continue to let me know what you think with a review! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

* * *

**Chapter 5 **

Sam woke up with his arm draped across Andy's body. He squinted as he opened his eyes, having forgot to shut the blinds before they'd tumbled into bed the night before. He rolled onto his back so he could glance at the clock on the bedside table. It was still early and just as he was about to close his eyes again, he felt Andy roll over until she was partially on top of him.

She'd woken up the moment the weight of his arm had been lifted from her. She missed his touch so she curled into his side, humming contently into his chest when she was comfortable again. Sam let his fingers dance down her back lightly.

"Don't wanna get up," she mumbled as she laid her arm across him.

"Don't have to. Don't have anywhere to be today," he replied.

"Mmm, good."

They both quickly fell back to sleep.

It was Andy that woke up again first. She was tracing patterns on his chest when he woke up a few minutes later. "Hey," he said, his voice still rough from sleep.

"Morning." She lifted her head and pressed a kiss to his lips.

"What do you want to do today?" he asked.

"I don't know. It's supposed to be a beautiful day. We could head down to the harbourfront. See what's going on there," she suggested.

"Okay," he said, rolling them over. "There's one other thing I'd like to do first."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" she asked, even though the kisses he was placing along her neck were her answer.

"You get three guesses," he said, making his way back up to her mouth.

"And if I get it right the first time?"

"You get a prize, McNally." He didn't even wait for her first guess, crushing his lips against hers.

After taking their time getting out of bed, having breakfast and showering, they finally made it out of Sam's apartment. When they got down to the harbourfront, Andy convinced Sam to a game at the new mini golf place that had been built recently.

"You're supposed to go _through_ the windmill," Andy said exasperated, halfway through the game.

"It's easier to go around it," Sam replied.

"But it takes two extra strokes that way," she said stubbornly.

"Why are you so concerned, since more strokes for me works in _your _favor?"

"Because...because...You're just supposed to go _through._ No one goes around," she pouted.

"Give me my ball." He reached out his open palm, waiting for her to place the ball she'd confiscated when they finished the hole. She reluctantly gave it to him, and watched as he put it down on the green.

He looked up at her, back at his ball and, on his second try, hit it directly through the tunnel located in the center of the windmill. "Happy?"

She grinned at him like a Cheshire cat, enjoying the view as he bent down to pick up the ball. "Well, your other score counts, so like, I'm still winning."

He shook his head at her. "Wouldn't have it any other way, McNally."

They finished the game and Andy tallied up the score while Sam returned their clubs.

After a few minutes, she started dancing where she stood and Sam knew the results of their game. "You win?" he asked.

"Yup," she said, popping the 'p' as she turned around. "I rocked it." Her dancing was replaced by a big toothy grin from her excitement.

"Nothing you like more than a little competition, huh?" he teased.

"Yeah, that's right," she said, taking the two steps toward him until they were chest to chest. Her arms came around his neck. "Cause I have a special talent."

"Which is?" He couldn't wait to see where this was going.

She pressed her lips against his briefly, before backing away. "Making it up to you when you lose," she said, smiling suggestively.

"McNally," he drawled out as she escaped his grasp.

She backed away from him, heading for the sidewalk with a bounce in her step. "I want ice cream," she said, excitedly.

"Lead the way."

They walked down the harbourfront a little ways and found an ice cream shop. Ice cream cones in hand, they sat down on a bench nearby to enjoy the scenery and people-watch.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed her eyeing his ice cream like she always did. He tilted his cone toward her and he saw a grin break out on her face as she tried to stifle a giggle.

She took a lick of his ice cream before scrunching up her nose. "I still don't know why you like it."

"And that's why you want a taste _every time_ we get ice cream?" he teased.

"Trying to convince myself you're not nuts," she said, bumping his shoulder with hers.

"Just enjoy your chocolate chip and I'll enjoy my pistachio."

She turned her head and pressed a gooey kiss to his cheek before returning to her ice cream. They sat there enjoying the quiet day and speculating what kind of people lived in the exquisite yachts docked at the harbor.

After a while, Sam laced his fingers through Andy's, resting their joined hands on her thigh. "Next time our days off fall on a weekend, I, uh, thought we might take a drive down to St. Catharine's," he suggested.

She turned her head toward him as he stared straight ahead. She knew what, or rather who, was in St. Catharine's and what this meant, but she kept quiet so he could finish.

"I'd like you to meet Sarah."

Andy's lips formed a wide smile as she stared back at him. "I'd like that. Like that a lot, Sam."

As if he'd been scared about her response, now that she'd agreed to go, he turned to face her and his lips curved up into a smile. "Wanna walk for a bit?" he asked.

She nodded and they stood up, hands still linked as they walked around the harbourfront. Just as the sun was reaching the horizon, Sam stopped and framed Andy's face with his hands, pulling her close enough to nudge her nose with his. She rested her hands on Sam's waist as he closed the distance to bring their lips together.

* * *

A month later, Sam walked into the women's locker room and saw Andy hunched over as she slid on high heels that matched her dress perfectly. His eyes raked over the green and black dress that hugged her body tightly. He let a breathy 'wow' escape before he could consciously put more words together.

Andy blushed as she stood up straight and looked over at him.

"You look beautiful. You almost ready?" he asked. A case had kept them at work late and they had only minutes to spare if they were going to make it to Frank and Noelle's wedding on time. The only saving grace was they had thought to bring their formalwear with them to work that day.

She grabbed her makeup out of her locker and ran over to the mirror. "Yeah, yeah, just another minute," she said, fumbling with her mascara. She quickly finished putting on some light makeup and then tugged on the bottom of some hair that cascaded over her shoulder. "I missed my hair appointment. Ugh," she groaned in frustration.

Sam came up behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist. "You know I love when your hair is down. You're beautiful." He kissed the side of her head and stepped back.

She pressed her lips together to tamp down a grin as she turned around and took a moment to drink Sam in. The simple black suit he wore, contrasted with a green tie that matched her dress, had him looking sexy. She tugged on his tie playfully. "C'mon handsome, let's go."

They walked into the hotel hand in hand and Sam couldn't help but notice Andy's exuberance about attending a wedding. "You really do love weddings, don't you?" he asked as she grinned at him.

"They're magical. Two people so in love they're committing their lives to each other in front of their family and friends. It's beautiful," she told him cheerfully.

Sam could never understand why people found it so important to get that piece of paper documenting a marriage, but the way she put it actually made sense. It was displaying a love and making a commitment in front of friends and family; making a public statement. He pulled her against him as they stood in the entrance to the ballroom and pressed his lips lightly to hers.

When he pulled back, she smiled at him curiously, but didn't say anything. Keeping his hand in hers she walked them towards a few empty seats she spotted near Oliver and Celery.

Andy's eyes lit up as she watched Noelle walk down the aisle and she had to wipe away a couple tears when she heard the bride and groom recite their vows. Weddings never failed to bring out the emotional side of her.

Sam laid his arm across her shoulders as they sat watching the rest ceremony, his thumb absentmindedly rubbing back and forth against the material of her dress. Every time his thumb hit the skin of her neck, she felt sparks. She was beginning to want to skip the reception and make use of the room they reserved for the weekend.

She shifted around, trying to ignore the feelings he was stirring inside her, and rested her hand on the inside of his leg as she leaned into him. He felt the warmth of her hand through his pants and quickly tried to dislodge the thought of her hand being a few inches higher. As the nail of her index finger casually scratched lightly against the material, he closed his eyes and let out a slow breath. He gently squeezed her shoulder and raised his eyebrows when she glanced over.

Knowing that look, she bit her bottom lip, unaware of what she'd been doing, and moved her hand to the top of his leg, before looking back at the happy couple in the front of the room.

When the ceremony was over, Sam and Andy mingled with others as Noelle and Frank spoke with the officiant. He had his arm around her, his hand splayed across her hip, holding her against his side. When the couple they'd been talking to left to get some champagne, Andy moved to stand in front of Sam and adjusted his tie.

"It was a nice ceremony," she said.

"It was," he agreed.

"They'll be busy taking photos for a bit," she said, looking up at him with a sly smile. He raised his eyebrows as his hands on both her hips pulled her closer. She tugged on his tie as she started to back away. "Come with me."

Sneaking away before anyone could notice, Andy shut the door of the coatroom and flipped the lock. Her hands were cupping his face and bringing their lips together before they could take another step into the room. His hands ran down her sides, feeling every curve of her body through the tight dress, and up her back until he was holding her flush against him.

He backed her up against the closest wall, hands roaming and lips locked to each other. He slid a hand down the skirt of her dress, felt the skin of her upper leg as he brought it up to wrap around his hip. His hand tried pushing the bottom of her dress up, but it was too tight and he abandoned the mission to instead continue caressing her body.

Kissing her way down his neck, her fingers loosened his tie to give her mouth better access to that part of his neck she loved most - where it met with his shoulder. As she sucked on his neck, she felt him harden despite the clothes between them. He framed her face with his hands, moving her head until he could bring his mouth to hers again.

She was getting to work on getting him out of his pants while his mouth trailed down her jaw and neck, careful not to leave any marks. By the time she had his pants undone, he was impatiently trying to get her dress out of the way. "God, is this thing painted on?" he questioned, between panted breaths.

Andy laughed at his frustration, but shifted around to help him push the bottom of her dress up. She couldn't believe they were doing this here, in a coatroom, dozens of feet from their friends. Then again, the time they'd had sex in the observation room at the station they were only feet from coworkers. So, yeah, this might be a thing for them.

It was exhilarating, the thought of being caught, the thought of being so intimate while no one was the wiser. It helped her crash over the peak faster than usual, and she held onto Sam tight as he found his own release a minute later.

Andy leaned back against the wall as they caught their breath.

"You know, we do have a room, with a bed, like two floors above us," he said, smirking.

"But then we'd never make it back to the reception," she replied.

He let her feet slid down to the floor and waited until she was steady before he took a step back. "And that would be a problem because…" he said, as they straightened out their clothes.

"Sam! They're our friends. We need to celebrate with them. We _want_ to celebrate with them," she said, watching him put his jacket back on.

"Yeah, yeah, let's get back out there." He really did want to celebrate their friends' happy occasion, but he also enjoyed teasing her.

Andy walked up to him and straightened his tie, tugging gently as she looked up at him. "Be nice. It's Frank and Noelle's wedding, but I might just have a present for _you_ later." She pressed her lips to his quickly before heading to the door.

After dinner was eaten, the cake was shared and first dances were had, Sam saw Frank at the bar and wanted to congratulate his friend again. "Hey Frank," he said, slapping a friendly hand on his back.

"Sammy, you having a good time?"

Sam nodded. "I'm happy for you guys, that you're both happy."

Frank took a sip of his drink as they leaned back against the bar. "Noelle's it. She's the real thing. I was married twice before but it was never like this."

"How do you know? That it's different, that it's real?" Sam asked.

Frank tore his eyes from where they were focused on his wife across the room and looked over at his friend. "A neighborhood like mine, you grow up thinking that real men didn't show how they feel, you know. But it was an act, macho crap," he said. "But Noelle never bought into it. To this day, she pulls me close and, uh, if I'm holding back, she says 'It's just me, Frank.' You know it's real when she makes you better. Even though it's tough sometimes, but you're grateful."

Sam took a slow sip of his drink as he thought about what his friend had said. _When she makes you better_, he replayed in his head. That's exactly what Andy did. They'd had their share of tough times, but he was always grateful she was in his life. She made him better.

Lost in his own thoughts, he almost didn't notice Noelle coming over and telling Frank about some family member who wanted to talk to him. Frank excused himself and she took his place next to Sam as he snapped himself back to the present.

"Congratulations, Noelle. You both deserve this happiness," he told her.

"You'll get there too someday, Sammy," Noelle said as they gazed out over the dance floor.

He watched Andy dancing and laughing with Chris, Gail, Holly, Dov, Chloe and Celery. He couldn't take his eyes off her actually. "She's beautiful." The words came out quietly before he had a chance to censor himself.

"Don't let her go this time," Noelle said, giving his cheek a playful slap as she walked away.

"I don't plan to," he mumbled to himself.

Content to stand there and watch his girlfriend, Sam took a sip of his beer while his free hand slid into his pocket. His fingertips instantly hit metal and a jolt of sadness surged through him. He hadn't thought about how Jerry was supposed to be the next of them to get married. He hadn't allowed himself to wallow in the sadness that those thoughts gave him…until now.

He'd been fine until he put his hand in his pocket and felt the watch Jerry had given him as a best man gift. He always kept it on him, no matter what, but he suddenly regretted the reminder it brought him tonight. Needing to get away from everyone for a bit, he walked to the far end of the room and found a place to sit down and think.

A short time later, one of Andy's favorite songs came on and it was a slow one so she knew it wouldn't be too hard to convince Sam to join her for a dance. Not seeing him at the bar anymore, she looked around and saw him sitting on a window bench at the far end of the room. Even from where she stood, she could see the somber look on his face and wondered what happened.

She walked over to him and sat down without a word. She brushed her shoulder against his, a simple touch to let him know she was there for him, but remained quiet. They sat there, both sets of eyes traveling around the room watching their friends celebrate, but neither saying a word.

She felt movement from Sam and glanced down to see him pulling the watch from his pocket. She watched him look down at it as his thumb rubbed over the engraving.

Andy heard him push out a small breath and looked up to face him. She knew immediately what had made him so sad. "This was supposed to be - "

"I know," he said, interrupting her. "I can't, okay." He started to push himself off the bench, but Andy's long fingers wrapped around his arm.

"No. Don't do that, Sam. Don't shut me out." She loosened her grasp when his body relaxed into the seat again. "This was supposed to be Jerry and Traci. I know, okay. It's difficult. I just...whatever you're feeling right now, let me be there for you. It's me, Sam, it's just me."

The seconds ticked by one by one as her eyes roamed his face, waiting for him to make the next move, waiting for him to say something.

"It was supposed to be different," he said quietly. "He was supposed to be getting me drunk to get on the damn plane. He was supposed to be there so I could tease him about getting hitched. He was..." When his voice cracked, he took a deep breath before continuing. "He's supposed to be here."

Andy took the hand that rested on his thigh in hers and leaned her head against his shoulder. She knew there was nothing she could really say to make it better, but she wanted him to know she was here for him. "There will always be reminders of him. Eventually, maybe those reminders will bring about happy memories. Until then, I'm here to listen."

Sam remained silent, but his thumb brushing across her knuckles told her he heard what she said. She wasn't going to force him to talk or force him to think about Jerry even more than he already was. She was simply going to be here for him.

After sitting in silence for a while longer, Andy stood up, still holding his hand in hers. "Dance with me Sam."

"Andy..."

"Come on. One dance then we'll get you so drunk, Oliver will be pulling you off the dance floor," she teased, grinning down at him.

He couldn't help but chuckle as he stood up and let her lead him to the dance floor. A ballad had just begun and Sam watched as their friends held their loved ones close. As Andy's arms slid around his neck, Sam wrapped his arms around her waist. As they swayed to the music, he tilted his head down and nudged her nose with his. "Love you," he whispered.

She smiled and brought her lips up to his, pressing them together gently as the soft music floated through the air. Opening her eyes and pulling her face back an inch, she smiled at him. "I love you too."

She rested her head on his shoulder with one arm around his back and a hand on his chest. One of his hands slid up her back to rest between her shoulder blades, the other laid on top of her hand on his chest.

Andy thought about how tonight would have gone _very_ differently if it happened a year ago. She would've pushed Sam too far and wouldn't have known when to stop when she saw something was bothering him. He'd be annoyed, she'd be annoyed, and they probably wouldn't be speaking right now, let alone dancing. But they'd changed, they'd grown, and they'd done it together. She felt like they got through what might have been the biggest obstacle in their relationship; themselves.

Sam's head was in similar place to Andy's as they held each other close. He thought about how they'd both changed over the last year. It had been change or die for him. Become the person he needed to be, for himself and for those he loved most, or die from heartache. And now, they were both in a good place; they could keep moving forward, with all the ups and downs along the way, to spend the rest of their lives together.

* * *

The End.

A/N: Initially, the wedding was going to be earlier in the story, but I decided to end with it because Sam and Andy exploded when Jerry died and Sam couldn't handle his friend's death. In this story, we saw both of them grow and change as they fell even deeper in love, and I feel that Sam was able to come full circle about Jerry's death with his thoughts at the wedding. And therefore, Sam and Andy's relationship was able to come full circle as well. :)


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